


All These Rumors Spread Around (I Kinda Like The Way They Sound)

by richietoaster



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Eddie doesn't know how to listen, First Kiss, M/M, TW for invasion of privacy, dumb gays, just bullies being dicks, nothing major i promise!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:27:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24362065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/richietoaster/pseuds/richietoaster
Summary: “J-Just fucking sh-show him, Bev..” Bill nudges her. Bev’s eyes squeeze shut, and then she’s passing her phone over to Eddie.“Click play..” Bev sighs. “And, I just want you to know that I didn’t know that someone was recording us talking. I swear.”Eddie takes the phone and looks at her. They talked yesterday on the basketball court while they were waiting for Richie to pick them up after track practice. And he.. He told Bev about his feelings for Richie. Oh.. Oh no..
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak & Richie Tozier, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Comments: 8
Kudos: 156





	All These Rumors Spread Around (I Kinda Like The Way They Sound)

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this at 3am because apparently thats when all my ideas happen. enjoy lol

One minute everything is fine, and then the next is not. The stares might as well be mocking him. Maybe they are. Maybe that’s why people are cupping their hands to their friends’ ears, whispering while they look at Eddie, not even being secretive about it. Nobody was looking at Eddie like this the day before, why are they now? What happened in the last fifteen hours between the time he got home from school, from the time he went back in the morning?

Eddie tries to ignore it, he does. He walks down the hallway, trying to find his friends, quickening his pace. It’s almost like the talking is getting louder and the staring is starting to linger long. Something isn’t right. And he makes sure he tells his friends that when he sees them at his locker, waiting for him.

“What’s going on? Does anybody know why apparently I’m such a big deal today?” Eddie’s blunt about it. He wants to know.

“I.. Eddie, I’m so fucking sorry..” Bev apologizes. She holds her phone in her hand awkwardly, like she’s not sure what she should do with it.

Eddie contorts his face, “What are you sorry for? You didn’t do anything.” And now he’s really confused. Because if that’s an answer to why their entire senior year has their attention on him, it doesn’t help. 

“J-Just fucking sh-show him, Bev..” Bill nudges her. Bev’s eyes squeeze shut, and then she’s passing her phone over to Eddie. 

“Click play..” Bev sighs. “And, I just want you to know that I didn’t know that someone was recording us talking. I swear.”

Eddie takes the phone and looks at her. They talked yesterday on the basketball court while they were waiting for Richie to pick them up after track practice. And he.. He told Bev about his feelings for Richie. Oh.. Oh no.. 

He looks down at the screen, the cover image showing their backs. At least his face isn’t shown. Eddie inhales deeply before pressing the play button. Immediately he hears Bev’s voice ring out. 

_ “Something on your mind?” She asks him. They’re both sitting on the pavement of the court, criss-crossed.  _

_ “Just.. stressed. That’s all..?” It should be a statement, but Eddie’s answer sounds like a question. He has a lot on his mind. And most of it pertains to Richie. _

_ “I’m here if you wanna talk, you know.”  _

_ Eddie picks up a stick and traces the ground with it, drawing imaginary figure eights. He sighs. “I wanna get it off my chest, but- but you have to promise not to tell anyone.” Bev reaches over and holds out her pinky, and Eddie hooks his with hers. He pauses for a minute or two, preparing himself. And then: “I’m gay.” _

_ “Alright.” Bev tells him. _

_ “That-That’s it?” _

_ “Well, yeah.” Bev shrugs. “You’re no different in my eyes, Eddie. I still love you.. Have you told the others?” _

_ “No,” Eddie shakes his head. “And.. that’s not all.” _

_ “You a sugar baby or somethin’?” _

_ Eddie slaps Bev’s knee. “Of course not! It- It’s.. I’m.. I’m in love with Richie.” _

_ “Oh, honey.. Seriously, why haven’t you talked to us about this? You know we would never judge you. Especially him. You two have a.. A really special connection.” _

_ “Yeah, and?” Eddie scoffs. “Just because we’re close doesn’t mean he’s gonna like me back. I don’t- I don’t even know if he likes guys!” _

_ “You could ask him.” _

_ “Oh, right,” Eddie says sarcastically, rolling his eyes, and then mocks a fake conversation,“‘Hey, Rich? Do you like dudes? Because I’m hella into them, and more specifically you, so if you like me back that’d be pretty cool because I kinda wanna suck your dick. Just check yes or no.’” _

_ Bev laughs, “You don’t need to say it like that! Who in their right mind would? God, it’s true. Gays are fucking stupid. All you need to do is be like, ‘Hey can we talk?’ and when he says yes, straight up just tell him, ‘I know this is like, sudden. And it’s okay if you don’t feel the same, but I just wanted to let you know that I really like you.’” she shrugs, “It’s that simple.” _

_ Eddie shuts her idea down. “Yeah, no.”  _

_ “Why not? It’s that simple!” _

_ “Maybe for you! You basically told Bill to fuck off in the eighth grade because you didn’t like him back and he was fine with that. If I told Richie that I love him, I might get punched in the face.” Eddie lies on his back and covers his eyes with his hands. “Why the fuck is this so complicated?” _

_ “It doesn’t have to be!” _

_ “If I had any inkling that Richie liked me back I wouldn’t be thinking this way.” _

_ “Oh, please,” Bev says, “If you don’t think for a second that Richie wouldn’t reciprocate, you’re wrong.” _

_ “What, you think he does? Stop saying things just to make me feel better.” _

_ “If you would just see the way he looks at y-”  _

_ Bev’s interrupted by a horn honking. _

_ “That’s Richie. Let’s go..” _

The video ends a little after they stand up. 

“Who recorded this?” Eddie asks. 

“We don’t know,” Mike answers. “The principal told her to send it over and they’re gonna track the I.P address.”

“Don’t worry, Eddie,” Ben tells him. “We’ll figure out who did it.”

“That’s  _ not  _ what I’m worried about.”

“What is it, then?” Ben rubs Eddie’s shoulder for comfort.

“People judging me without even knowing me!” Eddie blinks away tears, “Now all I am to people is just the gay dude who’s in love with his best friend, who’s probably straight.”

“That’s not all you are,” Stan argues.

Bev nods, “Yeah, Eddie. You are so much more than that.”

“Anyone with eyes could easily see that,” Mike adds.

Ben begins to talk, but Eddie doesn’t hear him because he shuts himself into his thoughts.  _ The video. Richie not being present.  _

“Where the fuck is Richie?” Eddie demands. His friends look at each other. 

“I told him you were in the cafeteria eating breakfast.” Bev admits.

“Why would you tell him that? Someone’s probably going to mention the video to him in there, oh god..”

“Eddie,” Stan says. He gives his friend a small smile of encouragement. “Richie wanted to see you. He already was sent the video. He wanted to talk to you..”

Ben adjusts his backpack strap, “We thought it would be a good idea to show you the video first and tell you what was going on before Richie could talk to you.”

“Are you trying to soften me up?” Eddie asks. “Trying to lessen the hurt when Richie tells me he thinks I’m a  _ freak?” _

“U-Uh.. Q-Quite the o-opposite, actually..” Bill mutters.

Eddie shakes his head, “What does that mean? What are you-”

_ “Hey!”  _ A shout echoes from down the hallway. Eddie whips his body around, watching Richie jog to them. “Eds, I..” He tries to catch his breath. “I’ve been fucking looking for you everywhere. Did you leave the cafe?”

“I wasn’t in the cafe.”

Richie looks at Bev who directs her eyes to the floor. “I thought- okay, no. It doesn’t matter. What  _ matters  _ is that I need to talk to you.”

The bell rings and their friends begin to scatter, leaving the awkward mess. Eddie tries to go, too, but Richie catches his hand, pulling him back. He thinks he’s closer than he was before. 

“You’re gonna make fun of me, aren’t you?”

“What? Eddie,  _ no,  _ I-”

“Because I completely get it. I know that video was probably embarrassing for you. Especially from some of the things I said. God, I’m sorry.”

“Will you  _ please  _ let me talk, here?” Richie begs. “I- That video, that was an exploitation of your privacy, so I’m sorry that happened..”

“That’s what you wanted to say about it?”

“I’m not  _ done.”  _ Richie sighs.  _ “Wow.  _ This is a lot harder than I thought it would be..” He looks up at the ceiling.

Eddie purses his lips. “Then let me make it easier for you,” and tries to walk away again.

“Would you- jesus fuck, you’re a pain.”

And then Eddie’s being pulled back into Richie’s space, but this time Richie kisses him. On the lips. In the middle of the hallway. 

As much as Eddie would like it to have been more than a quick peck on the lips, Richie’s pulling away. 

“Does that make it more clear for you?” Richie asks. Eddie nods slowly. “I thought it was a rumor at first, you know.”

“Why?”

“I didn’t see the video at first. People were talking and nothing was making sense. Some said you came out, other people said you were outed, most were saying that you liked me, and someone even asked me how long we were dating for.” Richie chuckles. “And I didn’t know what had happened for those rumors to start, but I didn’t hate them. I so badly wanted them to be true… And then I saw the video and found that they were, but I was more mad that someone invaded your privacy like that. Bev told me that I should tell you how I feel, so I went to look for you.. And here we are.”

“They’re gonna find out who did it. Probably suspend them.” Eddie says,

“Good. I’m gonna kick their ass once I find out who did it.” 

Eddie smiles when Richie looks back down at him. “Bev was right.. I should’ve paid more attention to how you look at me.”

Richie leans closer, “Like you hung the stars in the sky, baby.”

Eddie stands on his tiptoes and presses his lips to Richie’s, grasping his neck and deepening the kiss. They only pull away this time when a teacher passes by.

“Kiss your boyfriend on your own time. Get to class, boys!”

The two blush and laugh. They have  _ a lot  _ to talk about later. 

**Author's Note:**

> I'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR FEEDBACK!!! LEAVE ME A COMMENT AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK <3
> 
> read my newest series [HERE](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1711792)
> 
> [follow me on tumblr](https://richietoaster.tumblr.com/)


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